Nicole Reese, one of several citrus plant employees desiring a new career, decided to enroll in cosmetology school along with several co-workers. Months later, with hard work and determination, Nicole was the only person in her group to complete the course. Now, more than 13 years into her new career, Nicole is able to boast, not only of being a seasoned entrepreneur but also one who has achieved the long term goal of owning her own facility.
The road to owning her own business and building wasn’t an easy one, but making sound decisions from the beginning put her on the right track. Following cosmetology school, Nicole found a job in a hair salon whose owner was ready to retire. Taking over the location and the customer base, Nicole’s salon, “Ultimate Design”, was born.
As Nicole gained experience and expanded her clientele, she moved to a larger leased facility. The new space gave her the opportunity to expand the business to include the retailing of hair products and clothing, in addition to her full service salon. Over the years, however, yearly rent hikes armed Nicole with the desire to own her own facility. To make her dream become a reality, Nicole turned to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Central Florida Development Council in Polk County.
Nicole’s SBDC counselor, Certified Business Analyst, Adrienne Darby, assisted her by reviewing her business plan and financial projections, recommending revisions and researching finance options. The SBDC located a lender for Nicole who could offer an SBA 7(a) loan. The lender also owned several hair salons himself, so he became a great resource for Nicole. During the finance search, Nicole found an existing building available for sale and decided to purchase rather than construct a new building.
Although there were a few renovation delays, today Ultimate Design, Inc. is a very stable business. Offering a full array of hair design, nail services and retail sales, the salon serves a professional, multicultural clientele. Nicole is amazed how much visibility the business gets by having an established, independent location. As for her experiences with the Small Business Development Center, she says, “I would recommend others to the Small Business Development Center, because of the direction, support and guidance you can receive.”
